Instrument for closing the urethra



Aug. 25, 1953 SALM INSTRUMENT FOR CLOSING THE UR'ETHRA Filed Aug. 31,1950 INVENTOR HANS SA-LM a5 6. 91M

AGENT Patented Aug. 25, 1953 Hans Salm, Munich, Germany ApplicationAugust 31, 1950, Serial No. 182,520 In Germany April 27, 1949 9 Claims.

The object this invention aims at is to provide an instrument whichenables to seal the urethra hermetically in a dependable manner. Such aninstrument is requested for inst., if the sphincter fails to function,with chronic nocturnal enuresis etc. The contrivance according to thisinvention may be used also as a condome.

' The instrument according to this invention is an outer flange and. aninner enlargement, so that'due to the elasticity which prevails betweenthe flange and the enlargement a biasing pressure is exercized on theparts of the urethra which are located near the contraction of thehollow body, whereby the complete seal of the urethra is assured.

A special implement is used for inserting the said device'into theurethra. This former consists of a mandrel with a head thereon, which,

when an axial thrust is applied to the mandrel,

will have a'biasing effect on the cap of the enlargement; the saidimplement has, moreover, a

tapered part for mutual engagement with expanding members of a retainingand guiding sleeve for the mandrel, which members have been shaped asjaws to grip a stiifening of the flange.

The figures in the attached drawing are showing diagramatically anembodiment of'this invention, of which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectionthrough the instrument as per this invention together with the implementfor inserting'the contrivance into the urethra,

; instrument.

The device consists of a hollow body of elastic material, such asrubber, to be inserted into the mouth of the urethra. .This hollow bodyis provided with a contraction 3 between an outer 'flange I and an innerenlargement 2.

The enlargement 2 is closed at its face by a cap 4, which has been drawninwards to assume the shape of a' dish, what is very important withregard to the stability of the shape and the'dependability of' the'seal.The body (I, 2, 3, 4) is provided with an insertion 5 in the shape of anetwork of mutually crossing filaments. Y of this networkof crossingfilaments is to pro- -'-vide that, if the enlargement 2 is stretched mThe special purpose 2 the direction of the arrow 6, this enlargementassumes an exactly cylindrical shape, which corresponds in diameter tothat of the contraction 3. The network of filaments is intended,moreover, to balance all stresses which might arise in the rubber bodyand thus to make for the necessary tearing strength. The cap 4 isprovided with an additional insertion I, e. g. in the shape of a disk ofcorduroy, whose diameter must be smaller than the inner diameter of thecontraction 3. This insertion serves as an abutment for the insertingimplement-to be described belowif the body (I, 2, 3, 4) is stretched inthe direction of the arrow 6. This insertion protects, moreover, withinthe sphere of the cap 4 the network 5 against mechanical destructionscaused by introducing the mandrel.

Within the flange I is located a stiffening 8, preferably in the shapeof a metal disk, which is indented at its periphery. The network offilaments is anchored to this stilfening 8 (i. e. at the teeth of themetal disk). Besides this the flange I'is reinforced by filamentinsertions 9 arranged in zig-zag, which surround the stiffening 8.

The introduction of the rubber body into the .urethra. is performed bymeans of a mandrel III, which at onev of its extremities isprovided witha ball-shaped head I I. The concavity of the cap -4 is curved along theconvexity of the balla gliding movement in a, e. g. metallic sleeve I2,which latter acts as a guide.

the sleeve is provided with peripheral slots I3, which form expandingmembers I4, which in their turn form both jaws I5 and abutment faces IS.The intermediate space I! between the jaws I5 and the abutments I6 iscontracted and serves for co-operation with a tapered part I8 of themandrel I0, so that when the mandrel I0 is shifted in its sleeve I2 inthe direction of the arrow IS the members I4 become expanded. At

shaped head to avoid lateral slipping of the head off the cap. Themandrel I0 is able to perform In its fore part the free extremity of themandrel is a pressure disk 20 for the action of the thumb of the handwhich is handling the device- The free extremity of the sleeve I2 iscorrespondingly shaped as an abutment for the index and middle finger ofthe .same hand.

J E The manipulation of this device is as follows:

the parts of the latter is at first applied to the body (I, 2, 3, 4) inthe position which may be seen in Fig. 1.

21 are brought in operating position between the 'thumb of the hand inaction and the index and The mandrel I I) together with its sleeve I4and The pressure disk 20 and the abutment middle finger of the samehand, and then a pressure is exerted by the thumb on the disk 20 in thedirection of the arrow l9. By moving the mandrel l within the sleeve l2the tapered part i8 is brought to mutual engagement with thecontractions ll of the expanding members l4, so that the latter areexpanded to the effect that the stiffening 8 of the flange I is clampedbetween the jaws I and the abutments '16 of the expanding members andthus the rubber body becomes retained during the continued advance ofthe mandrel l9. lhe head ll of the mandrel l0 strikes during thecontinued axial displacement of the latter the inner wall of the cap 4.The enlargement 2 is stretched and shrunk against the effect of itselasticity to assume the cylindrical shape with the diameter of thecontraction 3, the filament network 5 assuring the stability of theshape or" this cylinder. Now the rubber body has been shaped to thediameter which allows its introduction into the urethra. If this hasbeen accomplished the mandrel l0 becomes released of the pressure of thethumb and is returned subsequently, owing to the elasticity of therubber body. The rubber body assumes once more the shape shown in Fig.1, wherein the parts of the urethra which are near the contraction 3 areengaged by the l, 2 and 3 to form a seal by clamping them together. Nowthe mandrel is removed together with its sleeve.

According to this embodiment of this invention the pressure disk 26 hasbeen shaped at the same time as a cover for a case 22, in which theentire instrument, 1. e. the rubber body as well as the stretchingimplement are kept, if they are out of use. In this example the cover 20has been provided with a threaded part for having it screwed on to thecase.

What I claim is:

1. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material suitable to be inserted into themouth of the urethra, with its closed end first; a flange at the openend of said body, an inner enlargement at the closed end of said body,said flange and enlargement defining between themselves an annularcontraction of said body serving as a seat for parts of the urethraclamped between said flange and expansion, and means provided insidesaid body to increase the clamping pressure between said flange and saidexpansion.

2. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material suitable to be inserted into themouth of the urethra with its closed end first; a flange at the open endof said body; an inner enlargement at the closed end of said body, saidflange and enlargement defining between themselves an annularcontraction of said body serving as a seat for parts of the urethraclamped between said flange and expansion, and reinforcing meansembedded in said body suitable to ensure a cylindrical form of said bodyon applying to the closed end thereof axial pressure from the inside.

3. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material suitable to be inserted into themouth of the urethra with its closed end first; a flange at thev openend of said body; an inner enlargement at the closed end of said body,said flange and enlargement defining between themselves an annularcontraction of said body serving as a seat for parts of the urethraclamped between said flange and expansion, and a network of filamentsembedded in said body suitable to ensure a cylindrical form of said bodyon applying to the closed. end thereof axial pressure from the inside.

4. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material suitable to be inserted into themouth of the urethra with its closed end first, a flange at the open endof said body, a stiflening in said flange, an inner enlargement at theclosed end of said body, said flange and enlargement defining betweenthemselves an annular contraction of said body serving as a seat forparts of the urethra clamped between said flange and expansion, and anetwork of filaments embedded in said body and anchored to saidstiffening, said network ensuring a cylindrical form of said body onapplying to the closed end thereof axial pressure from the inside andincreasing the clamping pressure in parts of the urethra clamped betweensaid flange and expansion on releasing the axial pressure on the closedend of said body.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 comprising in addition reinforcingfilaments arranged in zigzag around the stiffening in the flange.

6. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material suitable to be inserted into themouth of the urethra with its closed end first; an inwardly concavecap-like seat at the closed end of said body; a flange at the open endof said body, and an inner enlargement at the closed end of said body,said flange and enlargement defining between themselves an annularcontraction of said body serving as a. seat for parts of the urethraclamped between said flange and expansion.

7. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material and a detachable handle tofacilitate inserting of said body into the mouth of the urethra with itsclosed end first; an inwardly concave cap-like seat at the inner closedend of said body, a flange at the open end of said body, an innerenlargement at the closed end of said body, said flange and saidenlargement defining therebetween an annular contraction of said bodyserving as seat for parts of the urethra; a tapered end at said handleending into an enlarged head engaging the cap-like seat of the closedend of the elastic body; and a sleeve slidably mounted on said handleand forming two spaced elastic annular extensions, said extensionsengaging in operative position the annular contraction and the flange ofsaid elastic body respectively.

8. A device for closing the urethra comprising a substantiallycup-shaped body of elastic material and a detachable handle tofacilitate inserting of said body into the mouth of the urethra with itsclosed end first; an inwardly concave caplike seat at the inner closedend of said body, a flange at the open end of said body, an innerenlargement at the closed end of said body, said flange and saidenlargement defining therebetween an annular contraction of said bodyserving as seat for parts of the urethra; a tapered end at said handleending into an enlarged head engaging the cap-like seat of the closedend of the elastic body; a sleeve slidably mounted on said handle andforming two spaced elastic annular extensions, said extensions engagingin operative position the annular contraction and the flange of saidelastic body respectively, and reinforcing means embedded in said body,which reinforcing means ensure on the one hand a cylindrical form ofsaid body when it is extended and pushed by said handle into theurethra, and on 5 the other hand increase the clamping pressure onNumber the parts of the urethra. gripped between said 897,050 flange andinner enlargement, when said body is 2,510,766 left in the urethra afterremoval of the handle.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 comprising 5 spaced parallel axiallyextending slots in said Number elastic sleeve. 24700 HANS SALM. 539 643800,044 References Cited 1n the file of this patent 10 867,126

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Beck Aug. 25, 1908 Surface June6, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. '7, 1907 GermanyDec. 11, 1933 France Apr. 20, 1935 Germany Dec. 31, 1952

